By Hemal Gosai
After much anticipation, the Capital One Lounge will finally open to customers at Washington Dulles International Airport on Thursday, Sept. 7.
This marks the opening of the bank’s second location in the U.S. following its first location at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport late in 2021 as Capital One follows the path of American Express and Chase in developing lounges for their premium card members.
The Capital One Lounge in Washington is right past the TSA PreCheck security checkpoint occupying the space that was once the control tower for the airport.
While the new space will have a similar look and feel to the DFW lounge there is a focus on showcasing local offerings. The Washington lounge will showcase a locally sourced food and beverage program that includes a variety of grab-and-go options which has been extremely popular in the DFW lounge. Often during tight connections, it’s easier to pop in and grab a couple of items for the next flight; a practice that some lounges don’t openly encourage.
The lounge will also feature semi-private workspaces, a coffee and pastry bar staffed with an actual barista, a full-service bar with a variety of cocktails, and an expansive food offering for dining in the lounge.
Working space in the new lounge (Photo: Capital One)
A coffee bar that features a barista (Photo: Capital One)
Local Inspiration
Capital One has also partnered with local artisans to source items for the lounge such as mugs and other service items from Acorn Pottery and Farm, a farm and pottery shop located nearby in Fredericksburg, Virginia.
Acorn pottery mugs to be used at the new lounge (Photo: Capital One)
How to Access
Access to cardmembers is as follows:
- Capital One Venture X cardmembers get unlimited visits to the lounge along with two free guests. Additional guests are $45
- Capital One Venture Rewards and Spark Miles for Business cardmembers receive two complimentary visits every year with no free guests
- Non-cardmembers can pay a $65 fee per visit to enter the lounge
There are high expectations for the lounge here in Washington for two reasons. First, the DFW lounge has been a resounding success and is highly popular among travelers. Second, Capital One is headquartered in McClean, Virginia which is a short 14 miles away. The close proximity to the mothership should hopefully mean an enhanced focus on quality.
More Lounges to Come
It’s expected that the opening of this lounge in Washington will be closely followed by the opening of a lounge at Denver International Airport. Lounges in Las Vegas are also in the works along with New York’s LaGuardia airport and Washington National, the other Washington D.C. area airport.
Indeed, it has taken some time for the bank to open its second location, and the process of securing permits and space within airports is not an easy task. As more lounges continue to open the network will become more appealing and act as a draw for potential new cardmembers.
Hemal took his first flight at four years old and has been an avgeek since then. When he isn’t working as an analyst he’s frequently found outside watching planes fly overhead or flying in them. His favorite plane is the 747-8i which Lufthansa thankfully flies to EWR allowing for some great spotting. He firmly believes that the best way to fly between JFK and BOS is via DFW and is always willing to go for that extra elite qualifying mile. Hemal’s opinions are his own and do not reflect those of his employer.
